INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION 

BUREAU OF STATISTICS 


L / ’-Ls A 

Co Z- 

FT MEADE 
GenCol1 


BULLETIN 


CONCERNING THE 


EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN ON 
LARGE STEAM ROADS 
IN 1920 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 













INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION 
BUREAU OF STATISTICS 


BULLETIN 


CONCERNING THE 

EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN 
LARGE STEAM ROADS 
IN 1920 


ON 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1921 












THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION . 1 


EDGAR E. CLARK, Chairman. 
CHARLES C. McCHORD. 
BALTHASAR H. MEYER. 

HENRY C. HALL. 

WINTHROP M. DANIELS. 

CLYDE B. AITCHISON. 

JOSEPH B. EASTMAN. 

HENRY J. FORD. 

MARK W. POTTER. 

George B. McGinty, Secretary. 


1 Two vacancies. 


LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

"F'^EIVED 

APR 291921 

j t>OCUMc!\T3 _ .SION 


! 









EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN ON LARGE STEAM ROADS IN 1920 . 


Interstate Commerce Commission, 

Bureau of Statistics, 

February 16, 1921. 

In this bulletin there are presented three tabular statements relative to the number of women employed 
by the larger railway companies, except switching and terminal companies, in the United States comprised in 
the class of carriers designated as Class I, which includes roads having annual operating revenues above $1,000,000. 
The roads of this class, it appears, carry on their pay rolls about 96 per cent of all the employees of the steam 
railway companies in the United States. The items for the year 1920 in the statements below were compiled 
from returns made to the Interstate Commerce Commission in compliance with the requirements of Statistical 
Series Circular No. 9, issued under date of April 10, 1920, the introductory part of which is here reproduced. 

Statistical Series Circular No. 9. Returnable by Oct. 31,1920. 

EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN. • 

Interstate Commerce Commission, 

Washington, April 10, 1920. 

To Class I Carriers. 

All steam railway companies, except switching and terminal companies, subject to the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Com¬ 
mission, having annual railway operating revenues above $1,000,000, are .hereby required to furnish certain information relative to the 
employment of women in their service, by classes, on the first day of each quarter in the calendar year 1920, in accordance with the form 
provided herein. 

It may be observed that the classes of employees and the dates of count in the form outlined are not consistent with the requirements 
of the classification of steam railway employees prescribed by the Interstate Commerce Commission with relation to the annual reports 
which steam railway companies are accustomed to render. This departure is due to the desirability of obtaining current facts concerning 
the employment of women in the railway service that will be suitable for comparison with similar statistics pertaining to quarterly dates 
in 1919, published by the United States Railroad Administration, Division of Labor, in a tabular report showing, for so-called Class I roads, 
the “Number of women employed and character of their employment,” according to virtually the same classes of employees that are listed 
on following pages of this circular for correspondent dates in 1920. 

Each respondent is requested to send a complete return, as provided in Statistical Series Circular No. 9, to the Bureau of Statistics, 
Interstate Commerce Commission, by October 31, 1920. A duplicate copy should be retained. 

George B. McGinty, Secretary. 

The Commission’s statistics for 1920 were compiled with relation to three so-called districts, the Eastern, 
the Southern, and the Western. These districts are substantially defined in the following description: 

The Eastern District comprises that portion of the United States bounded on the west by the 
northern and the western shore of Lake Michigan to Chicago, thence by a line to Peoria, thence to 
East St. Louis, thence down the Mississippi River to the mouth of the Ohio River, and on the south 
by the Ohio River from its mouth to Parkersburg, W. Va., thence by a line to the southwestern corner 
of Maryland, thence by the Potomac River to its mouth. The Southern District comprises that 
portion of the United States bounded on the north by the Eastern District and on the west by the 
Mississippi River. The remainder of the United States, exclusive of Alaska and of the island pos¬ 
sessions, is included in the Western District. 

It should be observed that the roads covered by the compilations of the Interstate Commerce Commission 
for 1920 are in most cases the same as the roads to which the United States Railroad Administration figures 
for 1919 and 1918 apply, with a few differences in their territorial grouping. The exceptions, however, are 
apparently not important enough to impair the utility of the statistics for the purposes of general comparison. 

For the year 1918 the Railroad Administration published a report that was similar to its 1919 report 
mentioned above, and from summarized statements in these reports, both of which give statistics by roads, 
the information was derived on which the averages for the classes of employment shown for the years 1919 
and 1918 in the next statement were based. 


36935°—21 


3 



4 


EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN ON LARGE STEAM ROADS IN 1920 


Statement No. 1 . —Average number of women in 


general classes of employment on Class I roads, for calendar years 1920, 1919, and 1918} 


No. 

Class. 

United States.’ 

Eastern District.’ 

Southern District.’ 

Western District.’ 

1920 

1919 

1918 

1920 

1919 

1918 

1920 

1919 

1918 

1920 

1919 

1918 

1 

Attendants. 

1,010 

1,431 

1,412 

497 

802 

801 

58 

69 

105 

455 

560 

506 

2 

Bridge and lock tenders. 

2 

6 

8 

0 

5 

7 

2 

1 

1 

0 

0 

0 

3 

Car department. 

1,428 

1,108 

628 

741 

522 

203 

116 

82 

43 

571 

504 

382 

4 

Clerical or semiclerical. 

69,317 

68,014 

58,532 

34,719 

36,843 

31,595 

9,579 

7,835 

6,415 

25,019 

23,336 

20,522 

5 

Cleaning. 

4,896 

4,905 

4,351 

2,760 

2,870 

2,517 

740 

707 

645 

1,396 

1,328 

1,189 

6 

Elevator operators. 

82 

97 

41 

45 

61 

31 

10 

12 

2 

27 

24 

8 

7 

Messenger service. 

481 

622 

520 

298 

400 

348 

11 

15 

13 

172 

207 

159 

8 

Personal service. 

2,485 

2,541 

2,488 

839 

1,051 

1,132 

308 

314 

260 

1,338 

1,176 

1,096 

9 

Roundhouse work. 

866 

815 

763 

504 

350 

248 

52 

68 

89 

310 

397 

426 

10 

Shopwork. 

1,363 

1,570 

2,787 

953 

1,081 

2,096 

191 

144 

128 

219 

345 

563 

11 

Signal service. 

72 

175 

121 

48 

163 

107 

9 

5 

2 

15 

7 

12 

12 

Station agents, assistants, agent operators. 

1,208 

1,155 

284 

365 

334 

90 

370 

376 

97 

473 

445 

97 

13 

Supervisors of women employees. 

103 

91 

74 

50 

49 

42 

9 

7 

8 

44 

35 

24 

14 

Switch tenders and other yard work. 

19 

27 

25 

15 

21 

21 

3 

1 

1 

1 

5 

S 

15 

Telegraph operators (handling other than train 
messages). 

764 

1,983 

1,959 

358 

810 

908 

58 

137 

101 

348 

1,036 

950 

16 

Telegraph and telephone operators (handling train 
orders, blocking and reporting trains). 

1,946 

1,630 

1,762 

709 

729 

760 

152 

92 

100 

1,085 

809 

902 

17 

Train service. 

1 

76 

56 

1 

76 

56 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

18 

Warehouses and docks. 

290 

462 

763 

128 

195 

385 

53 

88 

152 

109 

179 

226 

19 

Watehwomen. 

559 

619 

312 

504 

558 

280 

8 

12 

5 

47 

49 

27 

20 

Other service. 

565 

281 

898 

319 

140 

415 

50 

35 

200 

196 

106 

283 


Total. 

87,457 

87,608 

77,784 

43,853 

47,060 

42,042 

11,779 

10,000 

8,367 

31,825 

30,548 

27,375 


1 See general explanations on pave 3. 

’ Averages for 1919 and 1918 based on reports of the United States Railroad Administration, showing statistics by territories substantially the same as the districts 
described on page 3. 


The absence of complete statistics as to the number of women employed in railway service prior to 1918 
prevents any deduction as to the probable increase in the number so employed as an effect of the World War, 
but the number is generally known to have been large. It is interesting to note that in 1919, after the return 
to civil life of the majority of men who had been in the military service, the average number of women in railway 
service was greater than before, the increase in 1919 being 12.6 per cent over 1918, and the average number in 
1920 only 151 less than in 1919. 

It appears that the tendency, in general, is to employ more women in those occupations for which they are 
physically suited, and to drop them from those for which they are, as a rule, physically unsuited. 

The two following tabular statements pertaining to the year 1920 seem to require no explanatory comment. 
They substantially correspond to summaries included in the Railroad Administration reports for 1919 and 1918 
to which reference has already been made. 


Statement No. 2. —Number of women in general classes of employment on Class I roads, by districts, on stated quarterly dates in 1920} 


Class. 

United States—1920. 

Eastern District—1920. 

Southern District—1920. 

Western District—1920. 

Jan. 1. 

Apr. 1. 

July 1. 

Oct. 1. 

Jan.l. 

Apr. 1. 

July 1. 

Oct. 1. 

Jan.1. 

Apr. 1. 

July 1. 

Oct. 1. 

Jan.1. 

Apr. 1. 

July 1. 

Oct. 1. 

1. Attendants. 

1,085 

970 

1,029 

953 

■ 590 

456 

500 

440 

58 

54 

55 

63 

437 

460 

474 

450 

2. Bridge and lock tenders. 

1 

2 

3 

1 





1 

2 

3 

1 





3. Car department. 

1,344 

1,344 

1,532 

1,492 

710 

689 

802 

764 

94 

105 

133 

131 

540 

550 

597 

597 

4. Clerical or semiclerical. 

66,845 

68,002 

70,786 

71,637 

34,273 

33,810 

35,021 

35,774 

9,170 

9,458 

9,807 

9,883 

23,402 

24,734 

25,958 

25,980 

5. Cleaning. 

4,783 

4,694 

5,108 

4,998 

2,634 

2,591 

2,933 

2,883 

759 

702 

745 

755 

1,390 

1,401 

1,430 

1,360 

6. Elevator operators. 

94 

76 

78 

80 

52 

41 

45 

43 

12 

9 

10 

10 

30 

26 

23 

27 

7. Messenger service.. 

526 

481 

474 

442 

344 

294 

278 

275 

12 

12 

10 

11 

170 

175 

186 

156 

8. Personal service. 

2,284 

2,410 

2,625 

2,638 

740 

833 

895 

886 

311 

326 

299 

295 

1,213 

1,251 

1,431 

1,457 

9. Roundhouse work. 

743 

851 

958 

913 

382 

491 

580 

561 

46 

52 

55 

57 

315 

308 

323 

295 

10. Shopwork. 

1,158 

1,385 

1,554 

1,357 

789 

958 

1,097 

967 

166 

204 

211 

185 

203 

223 

246 

205 

11. Signal service. 

136 

48 

54 

49 

111 

24 

29 

29 

10 

9 

8 

7 

15 

15 

17 

13 

12. Station agents,assistants, agent 

















operators. 

1,208 

1,214 

1,246 

1,165 

355 

371 

380 

355 

374 

366 

367 

375 

479 

477 

499 

435 

13. Supervisors of women employ¬ 

















ees. 

100 

103 

106 

101 

43 

51 

55 

52 

10 

8 

8 

8 

47 

44 

43 

41 

14. Switch tenders and other yard 

















work..., 

17 

22 

17 

21 

12 

18 

13 

18 

3 

3 

3 

3 

2 

1 

1 


15. Telegraph operators (handling 

















other thantrain messages).... 

827 

738 

716 

774 

408 

336 

334 

. 354 

74 

52 

48 

56 

345 

350 

334 

364 

16. Telegraph and telephone oper¬ 

















ators (handling train orders, 

















blocking and reporting tr ains) 

1,884 

1,924 

2,001 

1,978 

684 

709 

733 

712 

141 

158 

151 

157 

1,059 

1,057 

1,117 

1,109 

17. Train service. 1. 

3 

1 



2 








1 

1 



18. Warehouses and docks. 

2S9 

290 

294 

278 

137 

129 

132 

117 

45 

45 

53 

68 

117 

116 

109 

93 

19. Watehwomen. 

598 

543 

549 

548 

551 

477 

489 

499 

9 

9 

8 

7 

38 

57 

52 

42 

20. Other service. 

• 512 

543 

578 

627 

295 

294 

329 

356 

50 

54 

47 

50 

167 

195 

202 

221 

Total. 

84,427 

85,641 

89,708 

90,052 

43,112 

42,572 

44,645 

45,085 

11,345 

11,628 

12,021 

12,122 

29,970 

31,441 

33,042 

32,845 


i Switching and terminal companies excepted. 








































































































EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN ON LARGE STEAM ROADS IN 1920. 5 


Statement No. 3. —Number of women employees of Class I roads according to primary classes of employment for dates of Jan. 1, Apr. 1, 

July 1, and Oct. 1, 1920. 1 


Class. 

United States—1920. 

Jan. 1. 

Apr. 1. 

July 1. 

Oct. 1. 

1. Attendants: 





Bureau ofinlormation. 

99 

77 

82 

76 

Storeroom. 

536 

533 

566 

530 

Tool room. 

346 

266 

286 

246 

Other attendants. 

33 

31 

30 

31 

Station (including station helpers). 

71 

63 

65 

70 

Total. 

1,085 

970 

1,029 

953 

2. Bridge and lock tenders: 





Day work. 

1 

1 

2 

1 

Night work. 


1 

1 


Total. 

1 

2 

3 

1 

3. Car department: 





Coach and car carpenters, helpers. 

1 

2 

2 

1 

Coach and car equipment painters, helpers. 

87 

77 

89 

93 

Coach and caririspectors, helpers. 

3 




Coach and car repairers,helpers. 

18 

7 

7 

10 

Pattern makers,helpers. 

4 

3 

3 

3 

Upholsterers and seamstresses. 

56 

53 

55 

53 

Other car work. 

102 

103 

116 

104 

Clerks. 

786 

772 

802 

827 

Laborers. 

287 

327 

458 

401 

Total. 

1,344 

1,344 

1,532 

1,492 

4. Clerical or semiclerical: 





Accountants. 

481 

530 

521 

522 

' Cashiers. 

604 

642 

656 

666 

Clerks, stenographers, typists, comptometer 





operators. 

60,487 

61,737 

64,350 

65,245 

Draltswomen and assistants. 

180 

173 

170 

167 

Telephone operators (except in train movement) 

2,388 

2,303 

2,416 

2,380 

Ticket sellers and clerks. 

864 

803 

804 

766 

Other office clerks (including operators of office 





equipment devices). 

1,841 

1,814 

1,869 

1,891 

Total. 

66,845 

68,002 

70,786 

71,637 

5. Cleaning: 





Car cleaners, inside. 

2,620 

2,489 

2,859 

2,727 

Car cleaners, outside. 

293 

314 

331 

314 

Station and office cleaners (includingj anitresses). 

1,752 

1,745 

1,731 

1,789 

Shop cleaners. 

41 

63 

70 

70 

Other cleaners. 

77 

83 

117 

98 

Total. 

4,783 

4,694 

5,108 

4,998 

6. Elevator operators. 

94 

76 

78 

80 

7. Messenger service: 





Day work. 

321 

315 

334 

304 

Night work. 

205 

166 

140 

138 

Total. 

526 

481 

474 

442 

8. Personal service: 





Cooks, dishwashers, stewardesses, waitresses 





(including dining-car service). 

1,296 

1,364 

1,530 

1,601 

Hospital nurses. 

52 

53 

52 

57 

Housekeepers. 

17 

19 

21 

20 

Laundresses, employees in linen rooms. 

191 

229 

236 

252 

Maids and matrons. 

607 

637 

672 

642 

Other service. 

101 

108 

114 

66 

Total. 

2,264 

2,410 

2,625 

2, C38 

9. Roundhouse work: 





Calling crews by telephone. 

2 

7 

9 

8 

Cleaning headlights and lanterns. 

3 

38 

62 

62 

Roundhouse clerks. 

500 

517 

528 

515 


Class. 

United States—1920. 

Jan. 1. 

Apr. 1. 

July 1. 

Oct. 1. 

9. Roundhouse work—Continued. 

Supplying engines. 

7 

16 

158 

57 

8 

7 

185 

89 

7 

9 

211 

132 

4 

8 

197 

119 

Turntable operators. 

W iping engines . 

La* 'orers. 


743 

851 

958 

913 

10. Shopwork: 

Blacksmiths, helpers. 

11 

1 

11 

16 

7 

97 

684 

143 

188 

9 

1 

13 

20 

7 

86 

730 

254 

265 

12 

9 

Coppersmiths, sheet-metal workers, pipe fitters, 

15 

20 

7 

86 

765 

326 

323 

14 

21 

8 

62 

750 

288 

205 

Electricians, helpers. 

Holders, corcmakers, helpers. 


Laborers, inside work. 

Laborers, outside work (including scrap dock 


1,158 

1,385 

1,554 

1,357 

11. Signal service: 

100 

25 

11 

11 

19 

18 

10 

25 

19 

8 

25 

16 

Manipulation, day work (except telephone).... 
Manipulation, night work (except telephone)... 

136 

48 

54 

49 

12. Station agents, assistants, agent operators. 

13. Supervisors of women employees. 

14. Switch tenders and other yard work. 

15. Telegraph operators (handling other than train 

messages): 

Day work. 

1,208 

100 

17 

1,214 

103 

22 

1,246 

106 

17 

1,165 

101 

21 

651 

176 

569 

169 

549 

167 

588 

186 

Night work. 

Total.•. 

827 

738 

716 

774 

16. Telegraph and telephone operators (handling train 
orders, blocking and reporting trains): 

Day work . 

964 

920 

996 

928 

1,043 

958 

969 

1,009 

Night work. 

Total. 

1,884, 

1,924 

2,001 

1,978 

17. Traiii service. 

3 

1 



18. Warehouses and docks: 

Billing and report clerks (including checkers 

or tally clerks). 

Yard clerks, outside work.7. 

Laborers. 



219 

33 

47 

213 

34 

43 

220 

23 

51 

223 

21 

34 

• 

Total. 

299 

290 

294 

278 

19. Watchwomen: 

Crossings, day work. 

Crossings, night work. 

Other watchwomen, day work. 

Other watchwomen, night work. 

Total. 

573 

9 

11 

5 

498 

13 

24 

8 

506 

11 

24 

8 

503 

13 

27 

5 

598 

543 

549 

548 

20. Other service: 

Mail carriers. 

98 

32 

382 

122 

32 

389 

123 

31 

424 

132 

29 

466 

Pumpers. 

Miscellaneous emplovees. 

Total. 

512 

543 

578 

627 

Grand total. 

84,427 

85,641 

89,708 

90,052 



1 Switching and terminal companies excepted. 


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